Kremlin says Russia must be ready for possibility of harsh EU sanctions
Three European diplomats told Reuters on Thursday that the European Union was likely to impose travel bans and asset freezes on allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin
The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia needed to be ready for the possibility of harsh sanctions being imposed by the European Union over the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Three European diplomats told Reuters on Thursday that the European Union was likely to impose travel bans and asset freezes on allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, possibly as soon as this month.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that Moscow needed to be ready to replace any of its vital infrastructure with elements it could be deprived of as a result of foreign sanctions.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier on Friday that Moscow was ready to sever ties with the European Union if the bloc hit it with painful economic sanctions.